Felmar's Missionary Journey

JOIN THE SVD

Are you a fourth year high school or a single professional who feels the call to serve God in the religious missionary life? As you sit in silence…in God’s presence…is your heart stirred?

Then, join the SVD!

We are a congregation of congregation of Priests and Brothers, founded in Steyl, Holland on September 8, 1875, by St. Arnold Janssen. SVD is one of the three religious congregations founded by St. Arnold, along with the Blue Sisters and the Pink Sisters.

The SVD Missionaries, as “witnesses” to the Divine Word (Jesus), are engaged among others, in the following works: biblical apostolate, education, parish administration, mass media/communication, mission animation, formation of youth, formation of future priests and religious missionaries, promotion of justice, peace and integrity of creation (JPIC), community organizing, empowerment of indigenous peoples/communities, care of street children, prostituted women and other marginalized sectors of the society.

At present, we are the 7th biggest male congregation in the Church and the biggest in the Philippines.

For more details, visit or call the nearest SVD vocation office nearest you:

Hi Father,
I don’t know why i was awakened today at this early,and thought of SVD and Capuchin seminary for my nephews. I have one nephew who has been a seminarian and will be done with his regency by this year.His latest conversation with his father ( my brother), he has an intention to go back to the seminary but confused on whether to join the SVD, Capuchin or just continue with the same congregation he started.
The other nephew is his younger brother, who was in the seminary for 3 years of high school, and was expelled due to youth naughtiness as they say. He told me that he still wants to study in the seminary, so i was thinking of SVD or Capuchin too.
My brother called me re: this to help him give the best advise to his sons. My brother is not financially stable having a family of 11children.
By the way, my brother was also an ex seminarian, but chose to be a family man.
Please guide us father.
lc

Steps to Peace with God
1) God’s Purpose…Peace and Life
God loves you and wants you to know Him so He can fill you with peace and give you real life — forever.

The Bible says:

Because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God (Romans 5:1)

God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never die (John 3:16).

Jesus said:

“I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest” (John 10:10).

Since God planned for us to have peace and real life right now, why are so many people hurting or angry inside?

2) Our Problem…Separation From God
God created us in His own image so we can know Him personally and have a joy-filled life. He did not make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him, but gave us a will and a freedom of choice. Since the beginning of time, we have chosen to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God and ends in misery.

The Bible says:

All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s holiness (Romans 3:23).

The result of unforgiven sin is death. But God’s gift is eternal life given by Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).

The Bible says that disobeying God results in being separated from Him.

Our attempts can never unite us with God. Through the ages, people have tried many ways to bridge this gap and reach God — without success.

The Bible says:

Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die (Romans 5:12).

You may think you are on the right road and still end up dead (Proverbs 14:12).

There is only one way to reach God.

3) God’s Remedy…The Cross
Jesus Christ is the only answer to this problem. He is the only One who can bring us back to God. He died on the Cross and rose from the grave, paying the penalty for our sin and bridging the gap between God and people.

The Bible says:

There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God (1 Timothy 2:5).

Christ died once for our sins. An innocent person died for those who are guilty. Christ did this to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18).

But God showed how much He loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful (Romans 5:8).

God has provided the only way — we must make the choice.

4) Our Response…Give Ourselves to Christ
We must trust Jesus Christ to forgive our sins and determine to obey Him for the rest of our lives. That way we can know God and find peace again.

The Bible says:

So you will be saved, if you honestly say, Jesus is Lord, and if you believe with all your heart that God raised Him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this (Romans 10:9-10).

Is there any good reason why you cannot turn your life over to Jesus Christ right now?

How to give your life to Christ:

Admit you are a sinner and need forgiveness.
Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.
Through prayer, confess that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and commit to live for Him for the rest of your life.

The clock is ticking— few days more to go and it will be your summer break. Soon you will be leaving the seminary for quite some time, your second home for almost a year, and you will be making your way back home to your family. When you return, you will be bringing a new you and your unforgettable experience of living together with your brother-seminarians under the welcoming roof of the Divine Word Formation Center here in Urdaneta City.

As you go, you will look back on your sacrifices and spiritual exercises here at DWFC. You will recall all your success and hardships in the past semesters. You will leave DWFC as greatly enhanced person rich in spiritual, academics, and social experiences. We are very happy for you. Your parents and loved ones must be very excited to see you. And maybe your parish priest would be glad to have you in help to the parish.

As with all leave-takings, I just want to leave a message before our summer break. It is my hope that these words will accompany you as you journey through this road we call life.

We are on a journey. Our life is but a pilgrimage. In the end, we all go to God, our final destination. Heaven is our home. God does not only light our way or lighten our burdens. He walks with us. Like the Emmaus event (Lk 24:13-35), God is accompanying us, leading us so that we will not be lost, clearing our way so that we can reach our goals easily and safely. As He walks with us so must we also walk with God and cooperate with His will. Walking with God is not running away from our tasks and responsibilities. Walking with God is making us and our lives complementary to His.

Do you still remember when your parents walked you home, taught you how to walk, carried you when you got tired of walking?

Wherever you are and whatever your assignment is, always walk with the people around you. In the seminary or in the parish, walk with them so as to carry their burdens. Walk with them so as to lead them home to heaven. Whatever your position in the seminary, walk also with your formators. To walk with them is to stand by them. Do not neglect your tasks and commitments. Walk too with your brother-seminarians and in walking with them, communicate with them and extend to them your cooperation.

There is no need to tell you that the road of life is rugged and rough. Along the way are many trials but walking with others will make the journey lighter and the travel easier. As each day comes to an end and each duty is completed, ask yourselves these questions:

you mentioned that your cousin was sent out from the osj. his formators may have reasons bakit siya pinalabas. he can still apply or look for other seminaries. however, i dont recommend it that he immediately jump into other seminaries. he can use the time outside to discern about his vocation.

when he is ready, he can still come back or apply sa seminary of his choice. i am one with your cousin in prayers.

“May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, And fulfill all your purpose.” (Psalm 20:5)

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Greetings from Verbum SVD House of Studies!!! I am Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD - a religious missionary priest studying Development Communications at the University of the Philippines - Baňos, Laguna.